Copy-holder.



C. A. DAWES.

COPY HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, ms.

Patented May 23, 1916.

CHARLES A. DAWES, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1916.

Application filed January 29, 1915. Serial No. 5,006.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES A. DAW'ES, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Copy-Holders, of which the following is a complete specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to devices for the more convenient holding of manuscript copy, stenographio notes and note books, or any other matter which it may be desired to transcribe from the original form into finished, complete typewritten or other extended form, upon a typewriting machine, linotype machine, or other apparatus for such purposes commonly used, or for transcribing figures or other matter from the original copy into permanent form in record books, or otherwise, by hand.

The main object of my invention is the production of such copy holder embodying, a quick acting, positive and adjustable l1ne Th indicator, which, by quick and easy manipulation of the fingers, may be made to follow the copy downward from line to line as the matter is being copied, and which indicator, upon reaching the bottom of the page, may be instantly returned again to the top, for use upon the succeeding page, by a mere upward movement of the hand.

Another object of my invention is the pro-v duction of such holder havingsuitable adjustable and expansible members, whereby copy and manuscript notes, or books or papers of varying thicknesses may be quickly and easily adjusted to the holder, yet permitting said line indicator to lie perfectly flat upon the page, regardless of the thickness of such copy.

Another object is to produce such copy holder having an adjustable frontal bracket, whereby the holder may be more conveniently used with copy or manuscript matter of varying lengths.

further object is to produce a copy holder of the character described which may be readily folded up into a very compact form and small space for the purpose of packing and shipping in quantities, or for carrying in the hand from place to place.

Still a further object is to produce such holder embodying a simple means for holding pencils, erasers and the like, through a projecting bottom ledge, And a not in use, Y

still further object is to produce such copy holder adaptable to use in diflerent positions, as for holding in the lap or lying fiat on the table for the purpose of taking stenographic notes or other data.

With these and other objects in view, attention is called to the accompanying drawings, to be considered in connection with these specifications, and wherein Figure I represents my improved copy holder as same appears in actual use, the line indicator being elevated to the top of the page ready for the operator to touch the sprocket for the purpose of lowering the line indicator upon the page. Fig. II represents the copy holder expanded in full to receive a heavy thickness of manuscript matter, the side bar and paper finger being elevated by pressing together the thumb hooks of the compression spring, and the line indicator being thrown aside to permit of the ready insertion of the copy upon the holder. is manuscript copy being long as well as thick, the adjustable frontal bracket is placed at its lowermost position upon the face of the holder. Fig. III represents the copy holder with the adjustable side bar depressed, and the adjustable frontal bracket raised, thus adapting the holder for the thin and short manuscript shown in this view. The line indicator is shown lying flat across the face of the manuscript. These three views each show also the lower pencil holding ledge with pencils placed thereon. Fig.

V is a perspective side and rear view showing the adjustable side bar and paper finger partly raised'by compression of the spring at the back, the line indicator being detached from its socket to show method of mounting same upon its supporting sliding bracket, by means of the connecting U shaped link, and the method of mounting the sliding bracket itself within the longitudinal slot of the adjustable side bar. This drawing also shows the method of forming and mounting the spool and sprocket which controls the line indicator, upon the lower swinging arm, the method of mounting the adjustable sidebar upon the upper, and lower swinging supports, and the method of connecting the cord controlling the line indicator with the slidable bracket at the upper end and the spool and sprocket at the lower end, the cord itself running down along the longitudinal slot in the adju table side bar. Fig,- V i a d t l rear view showing method of forming and assembling the flat compression springcontrolling the adjustable side bar with attachments through the connecting arm,and the folding easel which supports the. copy holder as a whole. Fig. VI is a detail show ing the form of construction of the upper swinging bracket as a whole, made up of its lower supporting member, the depressed lever-like offset, the connecting elbow and the upper paper finger. Fig. VII is a detail drawing showing the method of forming and attaching the adjustable frontal bracket.

Referring now more particularly tothe drawings, 1 represents the body of my improved holder, formed preferably in rectangular shape, with downwardly turned side edges 2 and upper edge 3, the lower edge however, being turned forward at an angle toform the pencil holding ledge 4. At suitable points upon the face of the body plate 1are formed the slots 5 to receive and hold the corresponding studs 6 projecting from the adjustable frontal bracket 7, whereby the latter may be readily adjusted upward or downward upon the face of the:

holder, as desired, for short or long copy.

The body plate 1 is supported at the back by the easel 8 formed preferably V-shaped from heavy wire, with the diverging prongs 9 extending upwardly, then bent downwardly again to form the elbows 10, and

the extremities forming loops 11 around the upper arm 12 of the fiat compression spring 13, whereby theeasel 8 becomes swingingly mounted thereupon so that the prongs 9 may be depressed at will close to the body plate 1, or may be swung outwardly for setting in place for use. When so thrown outwardly, the arms9 are prevented from too great distention by the elbows 10 coming into contact with the under side of the body plate 1. The I flat compression spring 13 is formed preferably from heavy spring wire, with the coil 14 to yield additional resiliency, and the two diverging arms 12 and 15, ending in the thumb-hooks 16 after passing through the sidejedge 2. The said upper arm 12 of. the fiat compression spring 13 passes through the edge2 by way of the equi-dimensioned hole 17,,while for the lower arm 15 the slot 18 is formed through said edge 2, affording to said lower arm 15 and its projectingv thumb-hook 16, ample space for upward and downward play therein, while the upper arm 12 is, meanwhile, held immovable. The coil 14 of the flat compression spring 13 is secured firmly at the opposite edge of the body plate 1 upon the lower or under side thereof, by any suitable means, as by the metal strap 19, so that the said fiat compression spring 13, being thus firmly secured to the body plate 1, the easel 8, mounted as aforesaid upon the upper arm 12 .of the compression spring 13, is thereby aiforded a secure attachment to the body plate 1 for the purpose of supporting the copy holder as a whole.

From' a point 20 along the lower arm 15 of the fiat compression spring 13, immediately inside the edge 2 of the body plate 1, being looped around said arm at said point, extends upwardly the connecting arm 21, it being in turn, at its said upper end, looped around the U-shaped lever 22 formed as an offset from the lower supporting member 24 ber 24. This lower supporting member. 24 o is mounted at the .b'ackiand upper portion of the body plate 1 throughthe holes 27 formed through the edges 2, and so that the V elbow 26 clears the side. of the body plate 1 and carries the paper finger 25 to the front of thebody plate. 1 ,-where it is normally held by the action of the fiat compression v spring 13', working through; its auxiliary elements described, fiat up against the face of said body plate, 1. Attheglower end of the body plate 1, and onthe same side thereof from which extend the thumb-hooks 16 and the elbow 26, uponthe turned edge 2 is pivoted= thef lower swinging arm-28, moving up or down on its pivot 29'- and carrying midwaythe rotatable spool 30 hearing its outer. integrally formed sprocket 31,-said' spool being mounted upon the axle 321joined rigidlyto saidarm 28. Between the upper end: 33 of said lower swinging armi28and the paper finger 25 at a point-34 thereon, is swingingly mounted the adjustable slotted side bar 35, which carries the longitudinal slot36. alongitsnpperface as mounted, and is of such length as to hold the arm 28 ap-f proximately parallel to the elbow 26 Slidingly mounted within-said slot 36' is the supporting bracket 37, turnedwith itsinewardly flared wings 38 for sufiioient frictional hold to theslot 36, and the outwardly looped socket 39, into which is set the pivot prong 40, of the U-shaped connecting link 41, while upon the-other prong 42 'ofsaid link 41 is swingingly mounted the line indicator 43,. insuch manner that it maybe readily raised and swung aside-or back into place at will,}it retainirigat all times a' position approximately at rightangle's to said adjustable side bar 35. A. cord 44 is "joined In actual use, W1

th the elements of in" H vention so formed and assembled, it is evident first, that the adjustable frontal bracket 7 may be readily adjusted upon the face of the body plate 1 for long or short manuscript copy, as shown at 45 and 46 respectively; second, that by compressing together the thumb-hooks 16, the leverage action of the flat compression spring 13, the connecting arm 21, the U-shaped lever offset 22 and the connecting elbow 26, will cause the paper finger 25 to swing upward and forward, carrying with it the adjustable side bar 35 and the line-indicator 43, while releasing pressure from said thumb-hooks 16 will, through the normal action of the flat com pression spring 13, cause all of said members to relapse and fall fiat against the face of the body plate 1, by which arrangement manuscript copy, note books or other matter of varying thicknesses may be readily accommodated, as shown at 45 and 46; third, that owing to the auxiliary efiect of the U- shaped connecting link 41, the line indicator 43 will at all times lie snug and flat against the face of the copy 45 and 46; fourth, that a touch of the finger upon the periphery of the sprocket 31 will wind the cord 44 upon the spool 30 drawing after it the line indicator 43, and that said line indicator 43 may be readily returned again to the top of the apparatus by sliding the bracket 37 upward, as desired; fifth, that said line indicator 43 may be quickly swung to or from its place, at will, to facilitate the interchange of copy; sixth, that the ledge 4 affords a convenient means of holding pencils, erasers and the like, not in use; and seventh, that the whole device may be readily folded into'neat and compact form, and as quickly unfolded, and set up, as may be desired.

Having thus described my invention, pointing out certain specific forms of construction and methods of assembling the elements thereof, and reserving the right to modify same in minor details so as best to construct my improved copy holder to meet all practical demands, what I claim to be new and patentable is:

1. A copy holder consisting of a body plate, an adjustable, outwardly swinging side bar mounted thereon, a compression spring to control the action of the side bar, a paper finger mounted at the upper end of the side bar; a line indicator slidingly mounted on said side bar; a cord running from the base of the line indicator; a rotatable spool at the base of the body plate.

2. A copy holder consisting of a body plate, an adjustable, outwardly swinging side bar mounted thereon, and a compression spring to control the action of the side bar; a paper finger located at the upper end of the side bar and rigidly connected thereto; an adjustable line indicator swingingly and slidingly mounted upon the side bar; a cord running from the base of the line indicator; a rotatable spool located at the base of the body plate and to which the lower end of the cord is attached.

3. A copy holder comprising a body plate. a slotted, adjustable, forwardly swinging side bar; a compression spring to control the action of the side bar; a paper finger rigidly attached at the upper end of the side bar and projected at right angles to the side bar across and parallel to the face of the body plate; a swinging, slidable, adjustable and detachable line indicator mounted on the side bar; a cord running from the base of the line indicator down along the side bar to and around a rotatable spool located at the base of the body plate; a rotatable spool located at the base of the body plate.

4. A copy holder comprising a body plate; a slotted, adjustable and outwardly swinging side bar mounted at one side of the body plate; a compression spring located at the back of the body plate to control the action of said side bar and to hold it normallyflat against the body plate; a paper finger mounted at the upper end of the side bar at right angles thereto and parallel to the plane of the body plate; a bracket slidingly mounted within the slot of the said side bar and bearing an outwardly extending socket; a line indicator swingingly and detachably mounted in said socket at right angles to said side bar; a cord attached at one end to the sliding bracket, thence passing down along the slot of the side bar and around a rotatable spool; a rotatable spool mounted at the bottom substantially as shown.

CHARLES A. DAWES.

Witnesses:

CHAS. W. WALKER, S. COLESWORTHY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

